HISTORY, ROMANCE AND...CATS!
Grace Elliot leads a double life as a vet by day and author of intelligent historical fiction by night. Grace is an avid reader and believes that smart people need to read romance - as an antidote to the modern world!
Grace is also obsessed by all things feline.

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Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Thomas Gainsborough: The Painter's Daughters with a Cat

Welcome! In the third post of a short series by guest authors, I'm especially pleased to welcome historical blogger extraoridinaire - Madame Gilflurt, aka Catherine Curzon. Madame is a prolific blogger (quite how she keeps it up I've no idea) on things historcial and the pleasure mine that she's popped by today. So without further ado, over to Madame...

Thomas Gainsborough: The Painter's Daughters with a Cat

With the recent anniversary of the death of Thomas
Gainsborough, I have spent some time contemplating his work and this particular
painting that caught my eye. Gainsborough was known, of course, for his
remarkable portraits and landscapes; he enjoyed a most illustrious client list,
including some of the most famous names in Georgian society and his reputation
has endured throughout the centuries to this very day, deservedly regarded as
one of the icons of 18th century art.

Gainsborough was father to two daughters, Mary and
Margaret, born in 1750 and 1751 respectively. He painted them on several
occasions and the work that has commanded my attention today is The Painter's
Daughters with a Cat, though if you can spot the cat, well done!

This portrait is undated but is believed to have been
painted around 1760-61, based on the approximate age of the two girls.The
unfinished work shows Mary and Margaret in a casual embrace, looking not
directly at the viewer but slightly off to the side, perhaps to where
Gainsborough works at the canvas. I find it a striking image and one that
captures the spirit of the children, utterly at ease with one another and with
with the business of posing for the celebrated artist who to them, was simply a
father.

Spot the cat (clue, look at the orange splodge to the right)

At a cursory glance the cat may prove hard to locate but
look to the lower right of the painting, where a shape can be identified
lounging on Margaret's forearm. Reaching over, Margaret is pulling the animal's
tail gently and in the outline of its face, we can see that the feline was far
from happy!

Sadly the painting was never finished and as such, we can
only catch the barest glimpse of the phantom cat in the little girl's arms, or
share this moment of childhood domesticity.

Glorious Georgian ginbag, gossip and gadabout Catherine
Curzon, aka Madame Gilflurt, is the author of A Covent Garden Gilflurt’s Guide to Life.
When not setting quill to paper, she can usually be found gadding about the tea
shops and gaming rooms of the capital or hosting intimate gatherings at her
tottering abode. In addition to her blog and Facebook,
Madame G is also quite the charmer on Twitter.

Thank you Catherine, for yet another fascinating post. You are welcome any time, especially if you post about animals.

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